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Crude By Rail 2014: New Destinations, Increasing Capacity

Crude By Rail: New Destinations, Increasing Capacity 2014 has come at a time where the rail industry faces several big question marks - some even as big as questioning the longevity of rail as an economically competitive mode of crude takeaway. With the collapse in price differentials, new pipeline projects not far from completion and additional costs potentially incurred from new rail car modification mandates, the evaluation of available capacity, economics and logistics of getting to different rail terminal destinations could not come at a better time.

As crude oil volumes continue to rise, the demand for increased capacity to take crude to new markets quickly and economically, is on the rise with it. Producers and refiners want to know the latest offloading terminal locations, railroad connectivity to new and emerging markets in the West, Gulf and East Coast, cycle times, volume capacities and the cost of transportation to enable a thorough evaluation of the market differentials of moving crude to different rail markets vs. pipeline. Against the current climate, it is crucial that railroads stay competitive and as a result, the congress will be focused around how rail operators are planning to meet the demands of refiners and producers through the expansion of railroads, rail cars and terminal capacity.

The timely agenda has been designed specifically to deliver solutions for all three major stakeholders:

SOLUTIONS FOR E&P's

Identifying Refinery Demand And Most Viable Markets For Different Crude Types To Assess The Cost And Logistics Of Getting Crude To New Delivery Points And Ultimately Determine Whether Economic Netbacks Can Still Be Achieved By Moving Crude By Rail Vs. Pipeline

SOLUTIONS FOR RAIL OPERATORS

Understanding Refiner Markets And Preferences To Identify Regions Best Served By Crude By Rail As Well As Identifying Strategies To Decrease Cycle Time And Compete With Pipeline In The Future

SOLUTIONS FOR REFINERIES

Mapping The Locations, Volume Capacity And Crude Types Offered At Different Offloading Terminals To Ensure Crude Quality And Volume Specifications Are Met Within Budget

Railroad companies will be leading the congress at the upcoming Crude By Rail 2014: New Destinations, Increasing Capacity to deliver updates on the location of on-loading and offloading terminals, railroad expansion plans as well as cycle times to different destinations on the East, West & Gulf Coast to allow refiners and producers to determine the cost and efficiency of reaching key refinery destinations. Latest FRA rail car regulations and modifications will also be discussed to enable strategies for cost-effective compliance and minimize the impact on the efficiency and cost of crude by rail.

DAY ONE: DESTINATION LOGISTICS

ON-LOADING & OFFLOADING TERMINAL CAPACITY AND REFINERY SPECIFICATIONS

Day one will start by providing a keynote perspective from each of the major stakeholders: we will first hear a rail operator's perspective on how they seek to meet the demands of refiners and producers through the expansion of railroads, rail cars terminal capacity. This will then be followed by a producer perspective on the crude grades and volumes emerging from different US shale plays as well as a refiner's perspective on future plans to redesign crude slates to take advantage of different crude types being produced. Speakers will then assess different delivery points and refineries across the West, East and Gulf Coast to enable an evaluation of the volume capacity, rail connectivity and economics of each. The day will end with an assessment of current rail and refinery capacity for different types of Canadian crude as well as exploring the flexibility of heavy crude terminals to accept light crude.

DAY TWO: ECONOMICS OF RAIL

Day two will scrutinize the market differentials and the different options for minimizing rail costs to assess the long-term economic viability of rail to different markets. The following things will be discussed with regards to increasing rail efficiencies and minimizing costs: unit vs. manifest trains, increasing cycle time and creating efficiencies, rail car regulations and modifications. The day will end with a discussion of existing and future pipeline developments to enable an assessment of the longevity of crude by rail once these West Coast & East Coast pipelines have been built.

The renowned annual Crude By Rail congress will continue to be held in Houston every August while the Crude By Rail February travelling series will take place in a different PADD area every year - this year for the first time, we are coming to California to facilitate the meeting of key terminal owners and refinery's in the Western PADD 5 region.

Why California This Year?....

With big question marks over the commercial viability of railing crude to the gulf coast in light of the recent collapse in price differentials, there has been overwhelming demand from E&P and rail operators to explore California and other West Coast markets as economically viable alternatives.

Hosting a huge hub of refineries and potential rail market destinations, this year's Crude By Rail February Series will be held in California with the sole purpose of providing producers and rail operators with the enhanced opportunity to meet key decision makers from pivotal West Coast terminal projects and refineries. Key stakeholders will be able to gain first hand knowledge on....

The available offloading facilities in the West Coast to assess connectivity, volume capacity, transit time and transportation

The Position Of California And West Coast refineries on accepting different types of crude being produced by other US states

The viability of West Coast markets by understanding the nature and extent of investment required to maximize connectivity to domestic supply

LEARNING BENEFITS:

The Third In The Sell- Out Crude By Rail Series...

...Crude By Rail 2014: New Destinations, Increasing Capacities will address the emergence of increased crude volumes and market destinations by delivering updates on railroad expansions, rail cars and terminals across the West, East & Gulf Coast.

WHAT'S NEW THIS YEAR?

Rail Operator Led: designed specifically to determine how rail operators plan to meet the needs of producer's and refiners

Solutions For All 3 Stakeholders: every session has been designed specifically to provide solutions for refiners, producers and rail operators

West Coast Markets: emphasis on the exploration of California and other West Coast markets as economically viable rail destinations

Addresses Recent Collapse Of Price Differentials: justifying the longevity of rail in light of the recent collapse in price differentials

Rail operators, producers and refineries will gather on the 25-26 February 2014 to examine the cost and efficiency of reaching the hottest refinery destinations across the US and determine the most cost-effective way for rail operators to meet the growing demands of producers and refiners:

OFFLOADING CAPACITY & TERMINAL UPDATES: Mapping the locations of available offloading facilities on the East, West and Gulf Coast to assess connectivity, volume capacity, transit time and transportation costs